Improvement in hand-stamps



B.v F. ASPER. Hand-Stamp.-

No; 221,764. Patented Nov. 1 8, 1879.

l/yafllll/l////llllu%//////////////////// UNITED STATES PATENT urEoEa BENJAMIN F. ASPER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

4.IMPROVEMENT IN HAND-STAM PS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,764, dated November 18, 1879; application led August 16, 1879.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN F. AsPER, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new andJ useful Improvements in Canceling- Stamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention', that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use, the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and totheletters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

Figure l is a front elevation with side plate removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.

This invention relates to the construction of hand-stamps for canceling and similar purposes; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, A designates the body of the stamp, to which in the usual manner are attached the postmark t and the cancellation-mark b, as shown. Between the sides of the casing B two drums, c and d, are journaled, one on each side of thebody A. On'the drum d is wound a tape, e, saturated with ink. The outer end of tape e is carried from drum d down under and across the face of the two dies a b, and thence passes up to the drum c, to which it is fixed in any convenient way.

On the end of the drum c, inside the casing B, so as to be out of the way, I place a ratchetwheel, B, and a vspring-detent, i, on the body A takesinto the teeth of the same, to prevent it from turning the wrong way.

The handle H is recessed at the bottom, as shown, and has a shaft, lc, fixed to it, so as to project downwardly into a recess in body A. A lateral slot is made in body A, through which projects an arm, l, which serves to keep the handle and body from separating.

A coiled spring, s, is set around shaft 7c, for the purpose hereinafter shown.

On the end of the arm l is pivoted a pawl, m, which takes into the teeth of wheel R, and is kept in contact therewith by a suitable spring. In this case the spring at is txed to the arm l. Q

The opera-tion is as follows iu using for post-office purposes: The inked tape is supposed to be Wound mainly upon the drum d, only enough being fixed to drum c to fasten it. The operator strikes the envelope with the dies, and the marks are made. This, ofcourse,

compresses the spring s, the shaft 7c comes down, and with it the projecting arm l, and the pawl m leaves its position and falls into the next tooth of the ratchet-wheel R. On lifting the device from the envelope the spring s expands and draws the shaft 7c upwardly a short distance. With it comes arm l, and the pawl pivoted thereon pushes the wheel R around through a distance of one tooth. The Wheel R being fixed on shaft of drum'c, the latter revolves with it, and the tape c is Vaccordingly wound up on drum c and unwound from drum d. The result is, that every stroke made with the device causes the tape to move slightly across the face of the dies, and thus a fresh spot is always ready for the next stroke.

In this waya clearly-defined and well-inked mark is produced, and the operator is not compelled to pay any attention to the inking of the dies on an ink-pad, as is now the case. Of course, this effects a considerable saving of time, and it enables the user to strike the dies down more accurately, since he has nothing to do but lift it up and strike again with- `out taking it away from the regular canceling position.

1f well saturated, the tape, after one round, may be set back and used over again a second or third time, for which purpose the drum c may be hollow and keyed to its shaft in such manner that by removing the key the operator, by revolving the drum d, can readily rewind thc tape to its original position.

I cla-im as my invention- A hand -stamp the body and handle of which are united by means of a yielding connection, whereby, when pressure is applied to the handle, as in making an impression, it is caused to slide into or telescope with the body, and provided with an iuking-ribbon and spools for the same, and with mechanism, substantially as described, whereby when the pressure is removed from the handle, as in lifting the stamp after an impression, the ribbon is automatically moved across the face of the stamping-die.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

BENJAMIN F. ASPER.

Witnesses:

GEO. N. MoNRo, R. H. HUGHES. 

